Lighter



Feb. 8, 1949. R. F. LANDwi-:HR 2,461,330

LIGHTER Filed Feb. 9, 1946 2 Sheets-Shee'k. 1

ATTO RN EY Feb. 8, 1949. R. F. LANDwl-:HR

LIGHTER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 9, 1946 [uli ' lNvl-:N'roR Ric dIZzzndwe/ ATTORNEY tion of the lighter being shownl in section;

Patented Feb. 8, 1949 UNH-ED STATE-s rci'ii-:Nry menne F. unawlennuton, Long mma, f

N. Y., assignor to American Safety Razor Cofr- I poration, Brooklyn, N. Y., a corporation of-Vli'.-y

Application February 9, 1946,`sr11 No.. 646,549'- to improvements of the parts are facilitated andy the operation of the device is advantageous in comparison with the operation of lighters heretofore in use.

` v calms. (c1. eff-71.1)

i openings I6 lto receive-,a pivot rivet Il' 'and part of a leaf spring locking latch 1l. for a cover Another object of the'invention is to provide a lighter with a foreshortene'd cap and associated parts whereby the flame is kept at such a distance from the front wall of the lighter to prevent the flame. ignited by the opening of the cover, from swing about an axis well to the front of therear wall of the lighter, thus eliminating the possibility of the cover when it snaps open, striking the finger of the'user at the rear wall of the lighter. A further object ofthe invention is to provide a lighter wherein fuel leaking from the wick will be kept away from .thev flint and flint-wheel.

Still a further 'object of the invention is the provision of a safety latch which will not be operated when the lighter is in the pocket of the user, as, for example. by the jarring motion in walking or by any sudden impact or blow. For theattainment of these objects and suc other objects, features and advantages as may hereafter appear or bejpointed out, I have illustrated an embodiment yof my invention wherein: n Fig. 1 is a side view of thev improved lighter, with its cover in open position, Lthe front top por- `Flg. 2 is aside sectional elevation through the lighter; y e

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation taken on the line.,

3-'3 of Fig. 2;' e e e e I Fig. 4 shows perspective views of the various parts of the device in :disassembled condition; and

Fig.` 5 is an enlarged sectional view of the upper 'part of the lighter, takensubstantially on the 1 line 5 `-5 of Fig. 3.

Refe .ingto,the,dramgriitathe ughter comprises a fuel'tank yI0;prefg'erab'ly yof oblong horifuelA tank aridfliavek registering o rfaxialiy aligned or snufler cap 20. The front wall `of fuel tank Ill terminates at a point short of its top: the top closure strip II is secured at this point inwardlyy of the front wall, 'its sloped portion Il closing the upper front of thetank as well as its. top. The

lower end of said latch 'Il is secured by screw4 to the closure stripil at the lower 'end of said depression. -Spring latch 10," out of which is tongued an auxiliary Spring 'II (subsequently explained), extends above the top closure II ofthe fuel tank and has an opening 12 at its distal end in which is received an inwardly turned lip 53 of cap 20. Spring latch-'III is moved inwardly by a pivoted button 14, to free its distal end from locking engagementwith the cap.

A wick tube '22l having a. wick 2l` therein is dropped through opening I3 in top closurestrip II to seat a shoulder at the lower end of an enlarged head 26, on the uppr surface'of top strip underliesy the elevated platform I2I of top closure strip y I I the reduced upper end of inttube 21 is force-litted ina aperture Il in top closure strip I I.k Due to the higher levelof the elevated platform I2, fuel escapingfrom the wickt will not reach the top of theflint tube orthe flint wheel above the same. y,

'I'he lower part of fuel Il fits closely in the open, top ofy -an outer casing. closed at its bottom andv of somewhat less height thanrthe fuel tank. The outery casingisgprovided with asmall projection 33 punched-.inwardly y.which snaps yinto a depression .32 punchedy inwardly; inthe v fuel tank, the projection being-.received inthe depression when the ,outer ,casing and-fuel ,tank are fully assembledas in Fig.,3.Vv The loweropenend of the yfuel tank hasa piece offfeltsjA which is held .in place Iby frictional fit against the-walls of the fuel tank; it is provided Iwith. a hole l through which the mwa-end of mnt ,tube,121kextends,A for access in replenishing the l'elt--v piece-9 serves to cover. the .cotton waddngloecupying y,the

space within-the 'fuertankwnich wculdotnerwise 3 be exposed when the outer casing isremoved. To refill the lighter with fuel, the outer casing is removed and the fluid poured into the inverted fuel tank until felt piece 5 becomes saturated. The fuel tank I when snugly nested in the outer casing will extend above the upper edge thereof. Telescoped on ,the upper part of the fuel tank Il is an intermediate 'casing Il; which is a hollow shell of oblong cross-section,` open at the top as well as at the bottom and of approximately the same internal and external width and length in cross-section as the outer casing 8l and is seated on the top edge thereof.l Said intermediate casing thus forms a continuation or extension of the outer casing 30. The top closure strip IIhas a pair of ears I4 at each edge of its sloped portion I8, which are downwardly tapered and present vertical edges which abut the outer casing 35.

Said intermediate casing I comprises sides 86,

front and rear walls I1 and I8 respectively, a bridge piece 89 across the top at the front and a bridge piece 45 across the top at the rear and at a higher level or elevation. In the front wall 31 there is an opening 4I through which a portion of, the pivoteli button u extends. At their rear portions the sides or side walls have curved top edge portions 42 in the forms of circular arcs about an axis substantially the same as that of openings I5 in arms I5 of the fuel tank I4. At their front ends said sides 36 are provided for ventilation purposes with openings 43 preferably in the form of vertical slots.` Above the intermediate casing 35 is the cover proper comprising side walls 44, front wall and top wall 45. The rear portions of said side walls 44 are bounded by edges 41 in the form of circular arcs concentric with central openings 48 in said rear portions of the side walls, and the two openings are in axial alignment with each other. The 'radii of said circular arc edges 41 are equal and substantially the same as the radii of the curved top edge portions 42 of the intermediate casing 35. The top wall 46 comprises a front portion 45 which may be fiat and a rear portion 5l curved to the same radius as the uter edges 41 of the rear portion of said side walls.

The two top wall portions 45 and 54 are separated by a depression 5I of V-shaped cross-section. When the cover 28 -is closed, the rear edge of the curved rear portion 5l of the cover is lust inside the edge of the downwardly inclined forward edge portion 52 of the bridge piece 45 of the intermediate casing l5. The lower edge of the front wall 45 of the cover 25 when the latter is closed, is located lust below the rear edge of the front bridge piece Il of intermediate casing 35. At the lower 'edge of the front wall 45 of the cover is provided an inwardly turned lip 53 which is received in the hole 12 at the distal end of leaf spring latch 10 to lock the cover or cap in closed position.

For foreshortening the cap. the intermediate casing l5 is provided as a separate member. This simplifies manufacture and bly of the parts and also incorporates the following features: The

'44 of the cover closes the casing at the sides for 4 tures therefore keep the upper parts of the casing closed at the sides and back.

The top wall 46 of cover 25 is provided with an elongated protuberance 5 at its iront edge which prevents the linger of the user from slipping ofi `the cover in turning it to closed position.

` Inside the front part of the cover 20' is a. snuifer comprising a tubular member 54 with an outwardly turned flange at its upper end secured to the top wall portion 49 of the cover at its underside, and a second tubular member slidably mounted in member 54 and pressed downwardly by a spiral spring 56 to surround the upper end of the wick 24 and engage the head 26 of the wick tube 23, thus extinguishing the wick.

The guiding of tube 55 may be attained by passing the tube 55 through a corresponding opening provided by an internal flange 51 at the lower part of tubularmember 54 and an external flange 58 projecting outwardly from the tubular member 55 above the flange 51. The tubular member 55 is placed in the member 54 from above and is urged downwardly by said spiral spring 55 f which is interposed between said iront top wall portion 49 and said flange 58 and serves to bring flange 58 to rest against flange 51. Such contact will exist when the cover is open. As the cover A is moved to closed position the snuifer tube moves helical spring 59 surrounding the pivot pin I1,

' one end of the spring extending forwardly below said pivot pin to engage a fixed part such as the forward edge of one of the arms I5 and the other end extending forwardly above the pivot pin and engaging the cover from below. The arrangement is such that closing the cover stresses the spring and upon unlatching the cover, the spring will act to open the same.

Also mounted on pivot pin I1 is a int wheel 55 which has a knurled or roughened cylindrical surface 5I. The end face of the -int wheel remote from the spring has teeth 52 cut therein. Mounted on said pivot pin I1 between said' teeth 52 and the' adjacent arm I5 is a metal washer 54 which is radially split at 55 and is bent toward said teeth 52 at one side of said slit to provide an actuating edge or tooth 55 to engage teeth 52. Washer 54 has a radius such that it can be snuggly received within the arcuate rear portion 55 of the cover, and is provided with a pair of shoulders 58 and 59. The shoulder 58 abuts the under side of the V-shaped depression 5l and the shoulder 59 abuts the rear edge of said curved top wall all positions of the cap. The cooperation of the correspondingly curved rear portion 55 of the top of the cap with the'inner `edge of the bridge piece 48 closes the top of the casing at the near in all positions of the cap. Such cooperating ciuvaportion 55, whereby the washer 54 will be constrained to turn with the cover so that opening of the cover will turn the flint wheel 50.

An important feature of the invention resides in the ease of assembly and of disassembly. The

fuel tank I0 with the wick tube 23 and the flint hole Ir of an arm I5 of 'the fuel tank, through the pawl washer 54, through the flint wheel GII. the loop of spring 59, and through the hole I5 of the other arm; as best seen in Fig. 3, the ends of bushing I! are flush with the outer surfacesof the arms I5, I5 and abut the'side walls 44 of the cover. Then the pivot rivet pin I1 is inserted throughthe holel 48 at one side wall of the cover, through bearing bushing I5 and extended through the hole 4l at the other side wall of the cover, where it is riveted in place. In the nal assembly said pivot pin I1 and engages the top wall 45. of the cover from below.gand the other end of the spring extends forwardly beneath the pivot and engages a ilxed part, preferably the left arm I5 of the fuel tank by means of its olf-turned end. l

,tongulng out auxiliary spring 1i. (lllain spring 1I `has a second offset 11 which the' `distal end of latch 1li to the rear of front face 45 of the cover, so that lip 5.3 maybe received in latch opening 12.) Button 14, which ispivotallymounted at 18. has fa protuberancer which extends beyond opening 4| ofthe intermediate casingy 35, and a second protuberance Il .within the intermediate casing.4 In the closed position of `the cover, as shown in'Fig. 5,l `auxiliary spring -1i l maintains protuberance' 8l abutting against the front wall of the casing and button 14 turned to present its finger protuberance 15 in its upper .ance 50 to be turned'inwardly.

position. To release the cover, finger protuberance 15 is pushed downwardly, causing protuber- During the initial stage of this movement, protuberance 80 merely moves "auxiliary spring 1l Vtowards the offsetv portion of main spring 1l. Further downward movement of the finger protuberance is required before protuberancell contacts the main spring 1li and moves' it rearwardly to release the y one end of the spring 59 extends forwardly over Upon completion of the assembly as just described, the cover 2l may be pressed down to closed position where it will be held by spring latch 1l. 'in the distal hole 12 of which will be caught the lip 53 provided at the lower edge of the front wall 45 of the cover. During this movement of the cover, the spring 59 is compressed along the pivot pin I1 to permit the tooth 65 on the washer 54 to ride over a tooth 62 on the flint `wheel il. the spring acting at the Sametime as a against the urgency of spring 56. In this way f the wick. if lighted. will be extinguished.

Downward turning of pivoted button 14 e'ects release of the spring latch 1I, and the spring 59 throws the cover up until the forward wall of the V-shaped depression 5I strikes the inclined forward part of rear-bridge piece", which serves as a limit stop. During this upward swing of the cover the washer or actuating member 54 moves with the cover and its actuating edge or tooth 86 at one side ofthe slit 55 engages one of the teeth 52 and throws or advances the flint wheel one step to strike the flint 28. thus producing one or more sparks to light or ignite the exposed end of the wick 24.

An important feature of the invention is the provision of a safety latch which will not release the cap of the lighterwhen in the pocket of the user, as, for example, by the jarring motionin walking or by any sudden impact or blow. For this purpose. an auxiliary spring 1I is tongued out of the main spring latch 10. and the main spring 16 is provided with an inwardly ,directed offset- 16 (whereas the auxiliary spring 1I is straight throughout its length). As clearly shown in Figs. 5 and 4. o'set 18 is at a point in that portion of main spring. 10 having the opening caused by Icap. as'shownin Fig. 1. rIt will be noted from this ligure that finger protuberance 15 strikes the front' wall 31 to limitfurther turning of pivoted button 14. Any sudden' impact or jarring imparted tolflnger protuberance 15:- will merely result in an .idle turning ofv button as auixilary spring 1I is moved toward Vthe main spring. Continued steady pressure is-required to be applied to the finger protuberance, to cause protuberance to contact main spring 10 and moveit to unlatching position.,

What I claim as new and desire to 'secure by Letters Patent. is: ,v

1. In a lighter,.a casing, acover spring-urged to openposition and provided with a locking element, a main spring cooperative `with the said locking .element to maintainl the cover closed, and manipulative -means engageable with Vthe said spring but normally spaced therefrom, and an auxiliary spring` constantly; in;` engagement with the said manipulative means for maintaining the samein its normal position spaced from the said main spring, whereby momentary impact upon the said manipulative means will cause only initialmovement thereof against the resistance oflsaidauxiliary spring, continued pressure on saidlmanipulative means being V'required to `cause the same to'engage the main spring and release the cover.

2. In a lighter, the combination of a prismatic fuel tank; a casing disposed on top thereof and having a rear bridge-piece and a somewhat lower front bridge-piece, the top edges of the casing side walls adjacent said front bridge-piece being substantially level therewith and the top edges thereof adjacent said rear bridge-piece being arcuate; a cover. the side walls of which have radially-curved rear portions and front portions defined by parallel edges and terminating in a front wall. said radially-curved rear portions being received in said arcuately formed top edges of the casing side walls and with the lower edges of said front portions of the cover side walls in' abutting relation to the said substantially level top edges of the casing side walls, and with said front wall of the cover substantially at the rear edge of said front bridge-piece; a pair of parallel ears extending upwardly from the sides of the :fuel tank at said arcuate casing edges for pivoting the cover about an axis vdisposed centrally of said arcuate portions and of said radially-curved rear portions of the cover; said front portion of the cover being closed by a flat top substantially at at said axis and a ilint tube vertically disposed therebeneath,. wherein said part cylindrical rear portion of the cover terminates. whenthe cover is in open position. to the rear of said flint tube, said terminus of the part4 cylindrical portion being below the forward ledge of said rear bridgepiece when the cover is in closed position.

4. The lighteraccording to claim a wherein the Y said flat top and the part cylindrical portion of the cover meet at a V-'shaped groove, the forward edge of said rear bridge-piece being received in said groove when the cover is turned to open position, whereby said cover makes an Vopening angle-of greater than 90.

5. In a lighter, the combination of vxa. prlsmatic fuel tank having a front recess extending a pre. determined distance downwardly, a casing disposed on top of said fuel tank having a front bridge-piece across the top thereof. a cover pivotally mounted on said casing and terminating fn a front wall at the rear edge of said bridge-piece, spring means urging the cover to open position, a dat spring anchored at the lower end of said recess with its distal end pressing forwardly against said rear edge of the bridge-piece, said distal end of the spring being apertured and having a rearward camber, said front wall of the cover having a rearwardly directed tongue engageable with said camber of the spring to shift the spring rearwardly and enter its said aperture to hold the cover in closed position, and manipulative means for releasing said flat spring to open the cover.

6. In a lighter, the combination of `a casing having a front opening, a cover pivotally mounted on said casing and implemented with a spring urging the cover to open position, a nat spring anchored in said casing with its distal end engageable with said cover to lock it in closed position, said fiat spring having an auxiliary spring 50. Number 8 its said front projection accessible in said front opening,lthe upper distalv end of said auxiliary spring pressing against said rear projection. to turn the iinger-piece ina direction spacing its rear projection from said rearwardly spaced surface of the main spring, whereby initial pressure on said front projection will turn said lingerpiece inthe opposite direction a predetermined angle before its said rear projection engages the said rearwardly spaced surface of the main spring, continued pressure on the front projection causing the'main spring to ilex and release the cover.

7. In a lighter, the combination of a casing, a cover pivotally mounted on said casing and implemented with a spring urging the cover to open position, a nat spring anchored in said casing with its distal end engageable with said cover to lock it in closed position, said at spring having Yan auxiliary spring tongued thereout, the main spring being offset in the region of the upper portion of its said auxiliary spring to present a rearwardly spaced surface. a ringer-piece pivotally mounted in the casing, the upper distal end of said auxiliary spring pressing against said linger-piece to turn it in a direction spaced from said rearwardly spaced surface of the main spring, whereby initial pressure on said fingerpiece will turn it in the opposite direction a predetermined angle before it engages the said rearwardly spaced surface of the main spring, continued pressure on the finger-piece causing the main spring to flex and release the cover.

RICHARD F. LANDWEHR.

REFERENCES cl'rEn The following references are of record in the y ille of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Kellermann Jan. 31, 1911 Hofman Feb. 3, 1914 Number FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date 741.105 France Feb. 6, 1933 Wilkins Mar. 25, 1924 

